Corn harvester and shocker.



No. 704,839. Patented July 15, I902.

*G. G. KIMMELL.

CORN HABVESTEB AND SHOCKER.

(Application filed May 13, 1901.)

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G. G. KIMMELL.

CORN HARVESTEB AND SHOCKER (Applicatio n filed May 13, 1901.)

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no. 704,839. Patented m I5, 1902.

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CORN HARVESTER AND SHOCKER.

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Patents d July I5, 1902. a. a. KIMMELL. CORN HARVESTER AND SHOCKER.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRANGER G. KIMMELL, OF FARM ER OHIO.

CORN HARVESTER AN D SHOCKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,839, dated July 15,1902.

. Application filed May 13,1901.

T0 whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRANGER G. KIMMELL, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Farmer, in the county of Defiance and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CornHarvesters and Shockers, of which the following is a specification. i V

- Myinveution relates to an improvement in corn harvesters and shockers,one of the principal objects being to provide means for simultaneouslycutting two rows of corn and carrying the stalks rearwardly by a motionapproximately speeded to the forward movement of the machine andfinallyaccelerating that rearward motion when the stalks shallhave beentied in a shock, and thereby de positing it upon the'ground in astanding position.

Another obj ect'is to provide for raising and lowering the platform overwhich the cut stalks are fed and for accelerating the motion of thestalks over that platform when lowered to cause the discharge of thestalks therefrom.

Another object is to provide improved means for automatically regulatingthe speed of the endless discharging-apron simultaneously with theraising and lowering of the platform which carriessaid aprons.

A further object is to provide means for raising and lowering themachine bodily on the wheels which carry it, for tiltingthe forward endto regulate the cut, and'also to provide means for raising and loweringthe rear platform with respect to the remaining portion of the machine.

Still further objects are to provide means for packing and confining thestalks as they are cut and fed upon the machine, to facilitatetheoperation of tying-them into a shock preparatory to its being dischargedfrom the machine.

A still further object is to provide means for taking care of theaccumulating stalks which are cut during the brief interval While thecompleted shock is being discharged from the machine.

Still a further object is to provide for regu lating the speed of theendless dischargingapron.

With the foregoing objects in view my in- Se rial No- 60,D62. (Nomodel.)

chine, including the caster-wheel sills, a portion-of the connectedframework, uprights, and some of the operating mechanism, such as thelevers 64 and 107 and the parts they control. I Fig. 6 is a detail inperspective of a portion of this same mechanism on a slightly-enlargedscale. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of a portoin of the gearing, centerclutch, and shifting devices. Fig. 8 is a dc tail in longitudinalsection through the endless-belt platform, one of the horizontal forks,and sliding shoes. Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged details showing the meansfor throwing the machinery out and in gear. Fig. 11 is a view of thetension device, and Fig. 12 is a view in perspective of one of thesliding shoes.

The frame may be variously constructed, although, as shown, it consists,in the main, of a front transverse silll, which extends the entire widthof the machine, including the wheels, twopairs of rearwardly-extendingsills 2 2 and 3 3, the sills in each pair being parallel and moderatelyclose to each other, a cross-beam 4:, secured to the inner sills ofsaid'pairs'of rearWardly-extending sills, and the brace 5, extendingacross the bottom and secured to said rearwardly-extending sillsto holdthem securely in position and prevent twisting. On the rearend of thesills 2 2 and 8 3 platforms 6 6 are secured, and the seats 7 7 aremounted on these-platforms to aocom modate the driver and his assistant,who may be a man and boy,'if desired, or two men, for that matter. Apost 8 extends upwardly fromthe center of the front transverse sill land serves as a guide for the caster-wheel sills 9 9,which play oneither side of it as the frame is tilted up'or down, these caster-sillsbeing securely connected together at their forward and rear ends andbeing supported at the latter ends by a casterwheel 10, which, togetherwith the main wheels 11 11 of the machine, constitute the sole supportof the entire machine. Brackets 12 12 are secured at their forward andrear ends, respectively, to the transverse sill 1, on either side of thecentral post 8, and to the brace 5, and they are provided each with anupwardly-projecting jaw 13, to which and between which the easter-wheelsills 9 9 are pivoted by means of bolts or similar devices 14 14, theybeing the only means of connection between the frame and caster-sills,so that in this way provision is made for tilting the frame on itssupporting-wheels with respect to the caster-sills.

Two pairs of guides 15 15, one for each row of cornstalks, are erectedon the framework of the machine, and they project forwardly from thefront transverse sill 1, to which they are rigidly secured in anyapproved manner. These guides may be variously constructed, butpreferably comprise each a horizontal fork 16 and a pair of uprights 1717, extending upward from the cross-beam 4, the latter being suitablyseparated to permit the passage of the cornstalks between them,and fromtheir upper ends the converging inclined guide-bars 18 18 extenddownwardly and forwardly to a point some distance below the forward endsof the horizontal forks 16, to which latter they are secured. Theseguidebars cooperate with the horizontal forks to straddle the rows ofcorn as the machine is drawn forwardly, and by their disposition andarrangement absolutely insure the stalks in the two rows being gatheredin in a standingposition to the cutting mechanism. Guardarms 19 19extend rearwardly from the up rights 17 17 a suitable distance back ofthe seats 7 7 to prevent the cornstalks from dropping over the sides ofthe machine, and the rear ends of these guard-arms are supported bybraces 20 20, which extend upwardly from the platforms (3 6.

The tilting platform 21 is hinged at its forward end on the boxes 21, inwhich the endless-apron shaft 22 revolves, so that the weight of thefront end of the platform does not hang on the shaft, andvthis shaftcarries the sprocket-wheels 23 23, which drive the endless aprons 24 24.Platform 21 is provided with two or more uprights 25 25, which extendbetween the caster-wheel sills 9 9, and on their upper ends is securedthe central support 26. This central support is wide enough to preventthe cornstalks from striking the caster-wheel sills, or rather being adetailed description ofthe mechanism employed for carrying on thevarious operations of the machine.

The numeral 27 indicates the main driveshaft. This is journaled in boxes28 28, secured to the sills 2 2 and 3 3, the shaft preferably extendingapproximately the entire width of the machine and in any event somedistance beyond {the outer sills. Sprocketwheels 29 29 are looselymounted on the outer ends of this shaft, and on the inner ends of theirhubs ratchet-teeth 30 are formed. Oollars 31 31 are mounted to slide onthe shaft, and they are prevented from turning by the pins 31 31,operating in elongated slots 31 31 in the shaft. These collars each haveratchet-teeth 31 on their hubs, adapted to interlock with teeth 30 onthe hubs of sprocketwheels 29 29, whereby to lock the latter to theshaft. These sprocket-wheels 29 29 are preferably driven by largesprocket-wheels 32 32, secured .to the main wheels 11 11 through thesprocket-chains 33 33. As a means for throwing the ratchet-teeth 30 and31 entirely out of engagement with each other or throwing the machineout of gear, as is commonly expressed, the collars 31 31 are eachprovided with a circumferential flange 34, and a spring-actuatedhand-lever 35, pivoted to a bracket 36, is provided for shifting each ofthese sprocket-wheels, said levers terminating at their rearward ends ina fork which straddles the flange and the spring acting to normallyswingthe rear ends of the levers outward, whereby to keep the machinery ingear, and a downwardly-extending pin 37 on each hand-lever is arrangedto engage a shoulder 38 on the bracket 36 to lock the hand-lever againstthe action of the spring or to hold the machinery out of gear, as shownin Fig. 9, so that in traveling to and from the field the main wheelsturn idly without operating any of the machinery. It will be observedthat the spring 39, which tends to throw the collar outward on the shaft27, has the secondary function of holding the handlever downward toinsure this locked position just previously described. A sleeve 40 isloosely mounted on this main shaft between each pair of sills 2 2 and 33, and a worm-wheel 41 is secured to each of these sleeves at a pointabout midway between the sills, and on their outer ends crank-arms 42are rigidly secured, said crank-arms carrying axles 43 43, upon whichthe main wheels 11 11 turn. A worm 44 is located between each pair ofsills 2 2 and 3 3, in position to engage the teeth of worm-wheels 41 41,suitable journals being provided therefor, and a hand-crank 45,projecting from the upper end of these worms, is adapted to be turned tothe right or left to lower or raise the machine bodily, as the case maybe, the worm serving to lock the frame and axle in whatever relativeposition they may be adjusted with respect to each other. Secured tothis main shaft 27 are four beveled gear-wheels 46 46, they beingarranged in pairs, the two wheels of each pair disposed with their teethtoward each other and located just forward of the endless aprons andsubstantially in line therewith and with the guides at the forward endof the machine. Vertical shafts4=7 47 are journaled in boxes 48 48,projecting rearwardly from the uprights 17 17, and boxes 49 49,extending inwardly from the gu'ard-arms19 19 and brackets 5O 50 at theupper ends of these uprights. The lower endsof these vertical shaftshave beveled gears 51 securedthereon,which mesh with the beveledgear-wheels 4.6 46 on the main shaft and receive their motion therefromin opposite directions in each pair. Sprocket-wheels 52 52am secured tothese beveled gears or to the vertical shafts, as preferred, and aroundthem sprocket-chains 53 53 extend, their. forward ends passing aroundsprocket-wheels 54 54, journaled in suitable bearings onthe horizontalforks 16. O ne of thesesprocket-wheels'54 is secured to a shaft whichcarries a rotary cutter 55, (there beingone, of course, for each pair orside of the 1nachine,)so that these cutters are driven by the main shaftthrough the beveled gears i6 51 and sprocket-chains 53. The othersprocket-wheel 54 is located at the outer end of a stationary knife 56,between which bars 18 18.

and the rotary cutter the stalks are fed backward and cut as rapidly asthe machine is drawn forward. 4

Coacting with the sprocket-chains 53 53 are two other pairs ofsprocket-chains 57 57, one pair on each side of the machine, theselatter sprocket-chains 57 57 being carried over sprocket-wheels 58 and59 on top of the guide- All of these sprocket-chains53 and 57, eight innumber, are preferably provided with projections 60, and operating inunison and being properly timed they combine to carry the cornstalks ina standing position to the cutters and back to the endless aprons ataspeed commensurate withthe forward travel of the machine across thefield, so that clogging and choking of the machine through the throat,asit might be termed, is absolutely prevented, and, furthermore, eachstalk is held in its normal position from the time the horizontalforksof the guides straddle the rows to the time the completed shock leavesthe machine. To go back a little, these sprocket-wheels 59 59 at theupper end of the guides are secured on incliningsections of the verticalshaft 47 47, the main and inclining sections being connected byuniversal joints 61, so that the inclining chains on top of the guidesreceive their motion from the same source that the chains on thehorizontal forks receive theirs.-

Proceedingnow to the mechanism employed for tilting the platform 21, aswell as the central support 26, carried thereby, the numeral 62represents a-rock-shaft supported in suitable boxes 63 63, secured totheframe of the machine, it being provided at one end with a hand-lever64:, by which it is controlled,.said

connected to the tiltingplatform 21.

hand-lever being located within convenient reach of the occupant ofone-say the lefthandseat of the machine, At or near its opposite endthis rock-shaft is provided with an upwardly-projecting arm 65, thelatter conveniently projecting up intothe space between the caster-wheelsills 9 9, and from its upperend a pitman 66 extends rearward, and itsopposite end is pivotally connected to a bell-crank lever 67 fulcrumedon the casterwheel sills, and from the opposite end of this bellcranklever a curved link 68 extends downwardly, its lower end being pivot eflly he object of the curvature .at point 69 in this link is'to permitthe bell-crank lever to swing over its dead-center at the fulcrum and byso doing effectually lock the platform in anele vated. position when thehand-lever 64 is.

being to partially relieve the excessive weight of the platform andrender the raising operation easy. I This suspensory spring, alsopreventstheplatform from dropping with too great rapidity or force, asit might otherwise do owing to its length and weight.

Sliding shoes 71 71 are provided as a means for catching the accumulatedcornstalks forced into the throat during the forward motion of themachine which takes place, while the completed shock is beingdischarged, and these shoes slide far enough over the aprons to catchthe stalks which otherwise would drop onto the apron when discharging ashock. of sheet metal, and they extend loosely beneath the rear ends ofthe forks 16 16 at their forward ends and over the endless aprons attheir rear ends, and they are provided with flanges 72 72 at theiredges, which embrace theedge of the rear-ends of the, forks, thusguiding the sliding shoes in their reciprocat- These sliding shoes maybe made in g motion. The forward ends of these flanges V extend forwardsome distance beyond the body of the shoes and serve as guides, to

maintain the shoes in proper position. The shoes are reciprocatedsimultaneously with the raising and lowering of the platform .21 by thefollowing mechanism: A rock-shaft 73, located in bearings underneath thetiltingplatform, is provided withtwo pairs ofupwardly-extending arms 7474, one of which, 74:, is in the form of a bell-crank lever connected bya link 75 with the caster-wheel sills, so that the upward and downwardmovements of the platform through this link 75- causes the shaft to rockback andv forward, and the upper endsof the arms 74 74! are connectedwith the shoes bymeans of the rods 7 6 .7 6. Thus as the platform islowered the link causes the arms 74 7 1 to swing backward and throughthe rods 76 76 draw the shoes rearward, and the reverse motion or theraising of the tilting platform causes the arms to swing forward andforce the shoes in a corresponding direction under the rear ends of theforks 16 16 out of the way. So it will be understood that the shoes arereciprocated simultaneously with the vibratory motion of theplatformforward as the platform is raised and rearward as it is lowered.

The mechanism for driving the aprons and the packer will now bedescribed.

At a point about centrally located on the main shaft is mounted agear-wheel 77. This gear-wheel is loose on the shaft, and one end of itshub is provided with a clutch member 78, adapted to be engaged with ordisengaged from a corresponding clutch member 79, secured to the shaft.The opposite end of the hub of this gear-wheel 77 has an annular groove80 formed therein, and a spring-actuated shipper 81, pivoted oncross-beam 4, is adapted to normally hold this gear-wheel clutched tothe shaft by the action of the spring 82. The forward end of the shipperis curved laterally in front of and in the path of theupwardly-projecting arm 65 on the rock-shaft 62, so that as thehand-lever 64 is forced forward in the operation of raising the platformthe gear-wheel is unclntched by the act of the arm 65 striking theforward end of the shipper and forcing it aside against the. action ofthe spring 82. Shaft 22, which carries the four sprocket-wheels fordriving the endless aprons hitherto mentioned, is provided with a pinion83, adapted to mesh with the gear-wheel 77, and when the gearwheel 77 isclutched to the main drive-shaft to impart a rapid movement to the shaft22, whereby to remove the shock from the machine as rapidly as themachine travels forward, which action, of course, takes place when thetilting platform is lowered and simultaneously with the lowering of thesaid platform. A ratchet-toothed wheel 84: is also secured-to the shaft22 a short distance from the pinion 83, and in the space interveningtherebetween, preferably, a loosely-mounted lever 85 is located. Thislever is provided with a gravity-pawl 86, which normally engages theteeth of the ratchet-toothed wheel, riding over them as the lever islifted and engaging one of them with each downward movement of thelever. A rock-shaft 87 is j ournaled in the caster-wheel sills, and abellcrank lever 88 is secured thereto. One end of said lever, like thelever 85, is provided with a plurality of holes 89 89, and a link 90 issecured in these holes at different distances from the centers ofoscillation of the two levers in order to regulate the rearward movementof the aprons with each step-by-step impulse imparted thereto by thegravitypawl 86, alternately engaging and carrying backward teeth of theratchet-toothed wheel 84 on the shaft 22, the adjustment of the link 90in said holes 89 89 operating to increase or decrease the vibratorymovements of the lever 85 to cause this step-by-step movement to varyfrom a distance corresponding to-one or more teeth of theratchet-toothed wheel, as the case may be, the adjustment shown beingthe minimum of movement, or a distance corresponding to the size of eachtooth. The upper arm of the bell-crank lever 88 is pivotally secured tothe packer 91, and the stem of this packer is loosely supported on avibratory arm 92, pivoted at the extreme forward end of the caster-wheelsills. These parts are actuated by an eccentric 93, secured on the mainshaft, and through an eccentric-strap 94, which extends from thiseccentric to the outer end of a crank 95. on rock-shaft 87, so that witheach rotation of the main shaft the bell-crank lever is positivelyrocked back and forth and the pawl 86 or the gear-wheel 77 caused toimpelthe endless aprons, as the case may be-that' is to say, when theplatform is in a horizontal position or when tilted-and simultaneouslywith this movement of the aprons the packer is forced rearwardly withsuflicient force to pack the stalks into compact form with each rearwardimpulse. To insure the stalks pass ing into the path of the packer,curved rods 96 are secured at the upper ends of the guide-frames, and tocatch the stalks and hold them during the packing process a cord or rope97 extends across from one guardarm 19 to theother, it being secured atone end in one of the holes provided for it in one of the guard-arms andheld at the other end in a tension device 98, which is capable of beingadjusted to hold the cord with just sufficient rigidity to permit it toslip as the stalks are accumulated and packed thereagainst and untilthey are tied together bya suitable band previous to being dischargedfrom the machine, at which time the cord is adapted to be released fromthe tension device until the machine is made ready to form anothershock. Thus it will be seen that the cornstalks on both sides of thecentral support are bound into one large shock anywhere above thecentral support as tight as possible. When the tilting platform isdropped, the central support and caster-wheel sills pass out through theshock. This will not pull the shock down, for the following two reasonsat least-to wit, first, the distance above the central support to thetop of the corn is greater than from the central support to the tiltingplatform, this bringing the central support nearer the bottom of theshock than the top, and, second, the central support has a tendency toslip out, owing to the shock standing at an angle, as it does indischarging, to the central support, the aprons revolving rearward atthe same speed that the machine travels forward, as it were, downhill,on the platform, and from actual experience in the field with a machineof this character I know that a shock made this way will stand and thatthe machine will not pull it down in discharging it from the platform.

To go back slightly, mention may be made at this point of the guards 9999 at the throat of the machine, just separated far enough to permit thepassage of a single stalk at a time between them, and also of the singleroller 100 at the rear end of the tilting platform, around which theaprons pass, which roller is an idle roller, made adjustable in and outby the plates 101 101 and the set-screw 102 for regulating the tensionof the aprons.

The forward end of the machine is capable of being tilted by anysuitable mechanism as, for instance, the following: A rock-shaft 103,supported in boxes 104 104:, secured to the frame of the machine, isprovided at one end with a link 105, pivotally secured to the forwardend of the caster-wheel sills and connected to the shaft through acrank-arm 106. At the opposite end of the rock-shaft or at someconvenient point thereon a hand-lever 107 is secured, this beingprovided with the usual latch 108, adapted to engage the teeth of asegment 109. It is of course understood that by throwing this leverforward the forward end of the machine is raised and by tilting itrearward the forward end of the machine is tilted downward.

A doubletree'or evener of any approved pattern is conveniently pivotedat a point heneath the front transverse sill 1, and two or threedraft-animals may be hitched to this evener 110, as desired.

While for the most part the operation has been described, to brieflyrecapitulate: The machine is drawn forward, so that two rows of standingcorn are straddled by the guideframes, they being caught and held intheir standing position by the sprocket chains, which are speeded asnear as possible to the speed of the machine, so that they in realityact passively upon the standing corn, holding it in its normal position.Meanwhile the machine advances until the corn reaches the cutters, whichsever it, the chains now acting to carry the out stalks rearward untilthey are engaged by the packer and transferred to the endless aprons,which move back by step-by-step movement, which are likewise speeded asnear as possible to the motion of the machine. Whena sufficient quantityof the stalks shall have been packed into the embrace of the cord orrope 97 to form a shock of adequate size, the team is stopped, and withof course the machinery the shock is securely bound by a cornstalk,cord, or other binder, the tilting platform lowered, and the machine isthen started and the shock is discharged from the machine upon theground in standing position. Meanwhile the stalks which are cut duringthis discharging action of the machine, which are trifling in number,have no more than filled the throat of the machine, and the platform atthis time being immediately raised is made to assume its normal positionin ample time to again slowly taining them in their upright position,and,

in the upward and downward adjustment of the tilting platform the latteris prevented from lateral twisting or movement by the uprights, whichcarry the central support, just fitting and sliding nicely between thesesills.

It is evident that slight changes might be,

made in the form and arrangement of many of the parts described, whichchanges it is unnecessary to specify, Without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself tothe exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. Ina corn harvester and shocker, the combination with a suitable frameand casterwheel sills, the frame and sills having a hinged or pivotalconnection with each other, of a tilting platform hinged to the frame,said platform carrying uprights which have sliding connection with thecaster-wheel sills, whereby a lateral twisting of either is preventedand a central support secured on the upper ends of these uprights.

2. In a corn harvester and shocker, the combination with a suitableframe and casterwheel sills, connected therewith, of a tilting platformhinged to the frame, said platform carrying uprights which have slidingconnection with the caster-wheel sills, whereby a lateral twisting ofeither is prevented and a central support secured on the upper ends ofthese uprights.

3. In a corn harvester and shocker, the combination with a suitableframe and casterwheel sills, connected therewith, of a tilting platformcarrying uprights which have sliding connection with the caster-wheelsills, whereby a lateral twisting of either is prevented and a centralsupport secured on the upper ends of these uprights.

4. The combination with a suitable frame and caster-wheel sillsconnected therewith, of a tilting platform and means for raising andlowering said platform, said means operating to automatically lock theplatform when adjusted to its elevated position, and a. springsuspensory device connected to the platform for assisting in raising it.

5. The combination with a suitable frame and a pair of caster-wheelsills suitably spaced apart and connected with the frame, of a tilt ingplatform having uprights fitted and guided between the caster-wheelsills and adapted to be raised and lowered therebetween in by to preventlateral motion of either of said parts with respect to the other, and acentral support secured on the upper ends of said uprights.

6. The combination with a suitable frame and a pair of caster-wheelsills suitably spaced apart and connected with the frame, of a tiltingplatform having uprights fitted to and guided between the spaceintervening be tween the caster-wheel sills and adapted to be raised andlowered therebetween in the operations of moving the platform, wherebyto prevent lateral movement of either of said parts with respect to theother, a central support secured on the upper ends of said uprights, abell-crank located on the sills, a curved link extending from one end ofthis bell-crank, between the sills, to the platform and means forrocking the bell-crank lever whereby to throw the bell-crank and linkover the dead-center of the bell-crank and cause the platform to lock,and a spring suspensory device depending from the sills through thespace between them, to the platform whereby to facilitate the raising ofthe latter.

7. The combination with a suitable frame and tilting platform hingedthereto, said platform having endless aprons arranged to traverse it, ofsliding shoes adapted to hold the stalks that have accumulated when theplatform is tilted downward and means connected with the platform andwith the shoes for simultaneously reciprocating the latter with themovements of the platform.

8. The combination with a suitable frame, of a tilting platform havinghinged connection therewith, endless aprons carried over said platform,a rock-shaftsupported in boxes carried by the platform, said shafthaving arms thereon one in the form of a bell-crank lever, a linkconnecting one end of this lever with a suitable stationary support,sliding shoes adapted to bridge the space between the frame and theadjacent ends of the platform and connecting-rods extending from theshoes to the arms on the rock-shaft.

9. The combination with a suitable frame, of a tilting platform havinghinged connection therewith, endless aprons carried over said platform,a rock-shaft supported in boxes carried by the platform, said shafthaving arms thereon, one in the form ofa bell-crank lever, a linkconnecting one end of this lever with a suitable stationary support,sliding shoes adapted to bridge the space between the frame and theadjacent end of the platform, connecting-rods extending from the arms tothe shoes andmeans for raising and lowering the platform with respect tothe frame during the simultaneous sliding motions of the shoes.

10. The combination with a main frame, guide-frames and means forfeeding cornstalks in standing position through the guideframes and forcutting the stalks during their passage therethrough, of a tiltingframe, endless aprons carried thereon, a central support connected withthe platform, guide-bars, a cord extending from one guide-bar to theother, a packer for packing the stalks on either side of the centralsupport against the cord and caster-wheel sills for guiding the tiltingplatform and preventing lateral movement thereof.

11. The combination with a suitable frame and tilting platform hingedthereto, said platform carrying endless aprons of a main shaft and asprocket-wheel shaft carried by the main frame and intergeared with eachother, a clutch for throwing these two shafts into or out of gear witheach other and means driven by the main shaft for imparting astep-bystep movement to the sprocket-shaft.

12. The combination with a suitable frame and platform hinged thereto,said platform carrying endless aprons, of a drive-shaft,

means for driving the latter, a gear-wheel operated by said means whenthey platformis thrown to one of its extreme positions, means forimparting a step-by-step motion to the? endless-apron-driving shaft whenthe gearwheel is released from the drive-shaft and means for adjustingthe throw of said stepby-step driving mechanism. 1

13. The combination with a suitable frame, a tilting platform, saidplatform carrying an endless apron and means for raising and loweringand locking the platform, of a driveshaft, an apron-driving shaftwhich-receives motion from the main shaft when the tilting platform isin one of its positions and a stepby-step escapement mechanism forimparting intermittent motion to the apron when the platform is in itsother extreme position.

14.. The combination with a suitable frame, a tilting platform, saidplatform carrying an endless apron and means for raising and loweringand locking the platform, of a driveshaft, an apron-driving shaft whichreceives motion from the main shaft when the tilting platform is in oneof its positions, a step-bystep escapement mechanism for impartingintermittent motion to the apron when the platform is in its otherextreme position, and means for adjusting the throw of the escapementmechanism.

15. The combination with a suitable frame and a platform having hingedconnection therewith,of a main drive-shaft having a gearwheel looselymounted thereon, means for locking said gear-wheel to the shaft, meansfor tilting the platform and simultaneously causing the lock or releaseof the said gearwheel,a shaft carrying sprocket-wheels and provided witha pinion adapted to be driven by the gear-wheel on the main shaft whensaid gear-wheel is locked to said main shaft, a ratchet-toothed wheelsecured to the shaft which carries the sprocket-wheels, an eccentriccarried by the main shaft, a rock-shaft having a bell-crank leverthereon, an eccentrio-strap extending from the eccentric to a crank onthe rock-shaft, a packer connected with the bell-crank lever and meansfor adjusting the throw of said packer.

16. The combination with a main frame, a main shaft revolubly supportedtherein,

means for driving said shaft and a tilting platform having hingedconnection with the main frame, said-platform carrying endless aprons,of caster-wheel sills, a central sup- -port,,upri'ghts extending fromthe platform betweenthe sills, to which the central sup port is secured,a shaft for driving the endless aprons, gearing for'impartingacontinuous motion to said apron-driving shaft when the tilting platformis in one of its positions, means for imparting a step-by-step motion tothe endless aprons when the plat-form is in its other extreme position,a packer and guidebars between which and the central support, the stalksare packed, a cord for receiving said stalks, guide-frames, cutterstherein and feed mechanisms, substantially as described.

17. The combination with a frame, a platform, endless aprons, shaft forimparting moried by the platform, a shaft for driving the aprons, saidshaft having a ratchet-toothed wheel thereon,of a maindrive-shaft, apacker I driven thereby, a bell-crank lever support-' ing the packer, alever having a pawl pivoted thereto adapted'to engage the teeth of theratchet-toothed wheel to impart intermittent impulses thereto, and alink connecting the two levers whereby motion is imparted from one leverto the other.

20. The combination with a frame, a platform connected therewith,endlessaprons carried by the platform, a shaft'for driving the aprons, saidshaft having a ratchet-toothed wheel thereon, of a main drive-shaft,apacker driven thereby, a bell-crank lever supporting the packer, alever having a pawl pivoted thereto adapted to engage the teeth of theratchet-toothed wheel to impart intermittent impulses thereto, and alink connecting the two levers whereby motion is imparted from one leverto the other, and means for varyingthe adjustment of said link, wherebyto increase or decrease the extent of vibratory movements of the leverwhich carries the pawl. a 21. The combination with a frame, and atilting platform, said platform carrying an endless apron, of a drive-shaft, an apron-driving shaft which receives motion from said shaft whenthe tilting platform is in one of its positions, and a step-by-stepescapement mechanism for imparting intermittent'motion to the apron whenthe platform is in its other extreme position:

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

- GRANGER G. KIMMELL.

